Othona Bradwell News

Spring/Summer 2026 

 

Dear Members, Friends and Supporters of the Othona Community Bradwell

Welcome to our May Newsletter!

 

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PEOPLE NEWS

 

Warden David Jenkins’ farewell letter 

 

David Jenkins is moving onto a new role after a year as Warden at the Othona Community Bradwell. On behalf of everyone involved in the community, the Othona Trustees would like to thank David for his efforts, ideas and initiatives over this very busy time and we wish him well for his next exciting role.

 

Here is David’s farewell letter to the Community:

 

“Dear friends,

 

After much reflection, I have decided that the time has come for me to step down as Warden of the Othona Community Bradwell.

 

It has been a great privilege to serve this community and I am profoundly grateful to everyone who has contributed to the life of the community during my time as Warden: staff, volunteers, trustees, guests, friends, and supporters. Your generosity, commitment, humour, resilience, and care for one another are what make Othona such a special place.

 

This decision has not been an easy one, but I believe it is the right moment for a new chapter both for me personally and for the community. I will be moving back to Suffolk to take up a new job from the 31st May.

 

I look forward to seeing how the community continues to grow and flourish in the years ahead. I also wish you all a fantastic celebration this summer for the 80th anniversary of Othona.

 

Thank you for your support, kindness, and companionship throughout this journey.

 

With gratitude and warmest wishes,

 

David Jenkins”

 

A thank you to Jenny Thurston 

The Othona Trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank Jenny Thurston for stepping up over the last three months as Acting Warden. We really do appreciate her energy and efforts in leading the Core Team and our very many volunteers over a busy and challenging period of time. Thank you!

 

The current resident core consists of Jenny, Ian (Catering Manager since April), Chris, volunteers Agathe (VAP) Heidi (VAP) and David B Dora and Mali via Workaway, who along with Kirstie in the office and Pete for one day a week on maintenance, all have pulled together and contributed amazingly over the past few very demanding months.  

 

Jonney continues to do invaluable work around the grounds. Our regular cleaner, Faye, left us in April, due to receiving more hours at another place which provided a better work/life balance for her family.  Community members Phil and Beverley ran the kitchen for Easter, and provided amazing food. Special thanks to both; Phil for leading the Agape Meal and Bev, for master-minding and leading the cooking for the Breakfast following the Dawn service. It felt like a really good community event, with good feedback coming to the team. Bishop Adam was particularly enthused, and continues to promote Othona and pray for the Community.

 

Regular short term volunteers who have also stepped up this period include: Carrie, Robbie, and Mark B. Beverly continued to help as Cook for a number of Private Group events during the Catering Lead recruitment period. Volunteers from the village, Judy, Zanni and Geraldine have also continued to be regularly involved, helping enormously with housekeeping support during the tight turnarounds. 

 

The Othona Community Bradwell has once again been blessed by the presence this spring and summer of a number of young volunteers from other European countries. Dora and Mali are with us for a month into June, whilst Agathe and Heidi are part way through their six-month French Civic Service.

 

New catering lead & cook appointed: “Food lies at the heart of good community living”

The Community at Bradwell is delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Murray (left) as the centre’s new catering lead & cook.

Jenny Thurston, Acting Warden at Othona Bradwell said: “Food and how it is grown, prepared and eaten together is one of the key elements of being in community. Communities are made and sustained by sharing together these important elements of day-to-day life. We believe Othona offers an alternative way of living compared to many aspects of contemporary society. 

“We are all thrilled that Ian has taken up the role of catering lead & cook at this unique site.”

Ian has enjoyed a long and varied career in media, psychotherapy and as an event and retreat chef. He said: “According to the people I work alongside, we create a great vibe, have lots of fun and create great food.

“I came to Othona to experience all the faiths and energies alongside the amazing people that work and come through here. The community aspect is really exciting, and I am so very blessed to be here.” 

As an inclusive community, based on Christian values but open to those of other faiths and none, Othona Bradwell organises a wide range of themed residential weeks and weekends (everything from music-making to birdwatching, Christmas together and family fun at half terms), as well as the chance of people just to get away from it all to ‘Simply Be’ and recuperate from the challenges of modern life on the off-grid site (most of the power used is generated by solar and a wind turbine). 

Offering dozens of rooms, plus yurts and caravan pitches, everyone who is ‘in community’, whether that be for a few days or as in the case of the small team of staff and long-term volunteers, joins in together with tasks that keeps the place ticking over. In addition, community members are encouraged to join together in short acts of worship, usually in the nearby and very atmospheric seventh century Chapel of St. Peter.

 

Introducing our newest trustee: Paul Simon, Link Trustee for Bradwell

“Hello! I’m feeling both very privileged and excited to have been appointed as a trustee at the Othona Community!

I live in Suffolk, am married to Sheeba and we have four children. I’m an elder and lay preacher at Hadleigh United Reformed Church. (Oh, and am an avid supporter and season ticket holder at Ipswich Town Football Club! Only sorry that we probably won’t be playing Tim Fox’s beloved West Ham next season…….).

Professionally, my career has been focused around communications: marketing, journalism, public relations, political campaigning and now, in the main, public affairs or lobbying (sorry for the gratuitous use of the L-word!).

As with so many of the good things in my life, I came rather late to Othona, but have assiduously been catching up for lost time.

From that first experience in the autumn of 2021, I have now been in community at Othona Essex dozens of times. And I’m really looking forward to getting to know the community at Othona West Dorset in the years ahead.

Rooted in the core Christian ethos of peace and reconciliation, the Othona Community represents something counter-cultural for all times. But this is especially true of the present age, disfigured by greed, individualism, consumerism and war. For me, it is a living expression of that wonderful passage in 1 Corinthians 12-27 about the Body of Christ and the equality of all.” 

Central Trustee Vacancies 

We are still looking to recruit a Central Trustee-Community Treasurer. The current postholder will shortly be stepping down after some 5 years in the role and we are seeking someone with a financial / accounting background to take over. An introduction/handover can be given. If you are interested or if you know someone suitable, please put them in touch with us, or contact the Chair of Trustees directly (Mark Ringrose) by email chair@othona.org 

 

Volunteering opportunities at Othona Bradwell

 

Community Volunteering has always been part of the running of the Othona Community. Currently volunteers help with

• Cooking
• School groups activities 
• Gardening and Vegetable planting
• The summer season including the 80th birthday celebrations
• Half term breaks
• Maintenance of the grounds and buildings

Opportunities suit people who live locally and if you live further away, staying with us for days or weeks specifically as a volunteer is also possible and a great way to contribute in community. We are especially grateful to hear of those with an interest in cooking and kitchen volunteering.

If you are interested in volunteering and want to find out a bit more then please do contact us using the link below https://www.othona.org/essex/get-involved/volunteering/

 

Congratulations to Tim Fox and Kate Mulkerne

…who were married on Sat 23rd May with a church and reception jam packed with Othona-ites. A terrific occasion for which we thank them and pray God’s blessing on their new life together. 

And with thanks, too, to all the gang at Bradwell running an exceptionally busy Bank Holiday weekend.

 

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Othona, its Friends and Members

With effect from 1 April 2026 the Othona Community has a revised and simplified legal structure. 

This has encouraged us to take a fresh look at Othona’s Membership Scheme too. You didn’t know we had one? You’re not alone in that. Anyone who receives our newsletters we regard as a Friend; some people take the further step of becoming a Member. 

There will be much more information about this in June, as we aim to relaunch the Membership Scheme with some really positive new features. This is just a bit of advance notice about it, but also a shout out to anyone who might be interested in helping administer it.

All our contacts with Othona’s visitors, friends and members are held on web-based software called CiviCRM  (open-source and specifically for non-profit organisations). Staff at both our centres have to interact with CiviCRM regularly, but to keep our “new improved” membership records in good order we would like to involve one or more other people on a voluntary basis. If you’re at ease with handling data, especially on CRMs, and would like to know more, please drop a line to janepearse@othona.org . Jane is the trustee leading the membership project.

And talking of membership, this Newsletter is not only for you but also intended to be by you. We would gladly welcome articles from you, our readers.

 

2026 PROGRAMME NEWS

 

Future community events at Bradwell with spaces available!

 

Coming up we have the following community events:-

• Poetry Week: Finding God through Poetry – 15-19 June
• Bradwell Pilgrimage – 3-5 July  

 

You can browse all events on our website at Upcoming Events – Othona. 

 

Please note that due to the Bank Holiday, the week of Time to Simply Be will now commence on Tuesday 1 September (not Monday 31 August) and spaces are still available. You can also extend your stay until Sunday 6 September, by booking our weekend Time to Simply Be, as well. 

 

As our new website is still under construction, please continue to send all booking requests by email to bradwellbookings@othona.org

 

80th Anniversary – August celebrations

 

Just to highlight that for our 80th anniversary, we have various events that you can book in for. Although we are almost full for 3-9 August, there is still some capacity for week two – Othona of the Future. If you have already registered your interest for Othona of the Past/Celebration Weekend, we will be in touch very soon. 

 

Othona of the Past – 3-7 August – day visitors/camping only

Celebration Weekend 8-9 August – day visitors/camping only

Othona of the Future 10-15 August – space available 

Bradwell Centre Committee Open Meeting 15 August – space available

 

 

FOOTNOTE

A post-Easter reflection from Steve Barnes

 

Something pretty weird happened on the first Easter Day. The Gospels tell us that several women visited Jesus’s tomb with the intention of anointing him and laying him out properly. His burial had been in undignified haste immediately before the sabbath day of rest. Trouble was, Jesus wasn’t there! Someone said “He’s risen.” Ah, that explains it then! No it doesn’t!

 

The gospel writers were as perplexed then as we are today. They differ about whether the person speaking was an angel (as if that would explain things!) or Jesus himself, whether Jesus would meet the disciples in Galilee or Jerusalem, whether the stone over the tomb entrance was moved by an angel or an earthquake, before they got there or after they arrived. 

 

The very earliest manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel don’t mention the resurrection at all. We are told Jesus could now drift ghostlike through bolted doors but also cook and eat breakfast on the beach. He’d left his grave-clothes in the tomb so I’ve always wondered what was he wearing?

 

And yet, and yet, those disciples claimed to have encountered the risen Jesus, proclaimed him and got stoned, executed or fed to lions for their trouble. What drove them? What convinced them? What continues to convince many people today that Jesus is, indeed, risen?

What do you think happened that first Easter?

Or, perhaps more importantly, what does it inspire in you?

 

The love and inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit be with us all.

 

Steve